YEAR13 LESSON SEVEN [21st Oct 11]: Homework.

Students were offered a series of advertisements that could be considered to be an example of the 'male gaze' and reference was made to Laura Mulvey and the idea that women have learned to see themselves as being 'looked at'. Students were offered a series of ridiculous advertisements from America published in the 1970s and then a series of contemporary images that can be considered equally ridiculous and offensive. This country has a serious problem with domestic violence and violence against women and perhaps objectified images and overt sexualised representations of women are somehow connected to this issue.

The heart of the lesson was an exploration of the question: WHY SHOULD MEDIA REGULATION BE OF INTEREST TO A MEDIA STUDENT?

Students were provided with a very tight essay structure that will help in the construction of an appropriate and detailed response. The lesson was a discussion of the issues that should be explored within this written response.

HOMEWORK: I expect the media regulation essay to be handed to me when next we find ourselves in E5. This is a very important slice of work as students need to apply media theory to issues relating to regulation and this is crucial if students are to successfully access the requirements of MEST3 Section A. This is the first essay this year within which students are expected to apply media theory so it should be an interesting challenge. Issues such as desensitisation, sensitisation, Reception Theory, The Uses and Gratification Theory, and hegemony should all be explored and applied within this response. The key to this response is using appropriate media texts to illustrate your argument. Independent research is also a fundamental element of this task. I would like to see evidence of independent study and critical autonomy. I have offered a lot of resources that relate to this task. Below are links to a few of the texts relevant to this task:

Articles relating to the demonising of Christopher Jefferies:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/29/joanna-yeates-murder-court-contempt?

INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/02/yeates-murder-landlord-press-coverage?INTCMP=SRCH

BBC articles:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14352557

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14342766

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14339807

Reebok Easytone material:

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1044244/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX8V5e-mC2Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNAlSnYOko

Barnardos 'Breaking the Cycle' advert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFOcrZeMRUU

Women's Aid 'Cut' avert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4RjsqPYaS0

Below is a link to the 'DOVE REAL BEAUTY' debate. This is a very interesting resource that discusses image manipulation and how the advertising industry represents beauty. WATCH THIS!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55mS0apvKyg&feature=related

Below is a link to lesson five. There are some useful resources here:

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2011/10/year-13-lesson-five-7th-oct-11-homework.html

Below are a series of fishymedia resources that may be useful for this task or relate to issues raised in today's lesson:

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/08/anna-van-heeswijk-debates-media.html

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/05/rachel-williams-article-relating-to.html

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/06/jan-moir-controversy-resources.html

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/07/bill-hicks-and-his-views-relating-to.html

I look forward to your own textual references. Use the handout created by your comrades.It is an extremely relevant resource for this task.

You lot have been magnificent this term. KEEP IT UP.

Good luck with the essay. Any problems, fire me an e-mail.

MPs CALL FOR INTERNET REGULATION: BBC article.

Students need to be aware of media regulation and this BBC article is relevant for A2 students currently exploring issues relating to regulation. This article links to several BBC articles relating to regulation and students need to peruse these articles to develop their understanding of this topic. Below is a link to the main article and one of the linked articles.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15364774

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11610510

YEAR 12 LESSON SIX [18th Oct 11]: Homework.

This lesson was a BIG lesson as it involved students receiving their first written grades. The recent written work lacked specific textual reference and lacked appropriate use of media language so the aim of this session was to improve these key areas of the written work.

Class discussion generated a series of notes in response to the question: HOW ARE MEDIA FORMS USED IN THE OPENING CREDITS OF DEXTER TO REPRESENT THE SINISTER NATURE OF THE CENTRAL CHARACTER?

The class produced a twenty minute timed response with the focus being:

• Support all opinion with specific textual reference.
• Use the language of media analysis in an appropriate manner.

The second section of the lesson introduced the written tasks that students will be expected to complete over the half-term break. The class were offered three questions and class discussion produced a series of notes that will help students produce a sophisticated media response to these questions. Below are the questions and links to the relevant media texts:

1. HOW ARE MEDIA FORMS USED TO SUGGEST THE GENRE AND CONTENT OF THIS MEDIA TEXT? Students will need to refer to the genre notes I provided at the beginning of the course. I expect some reference to the repertoire of elements and the iconography offered here that is typical of the police drama genre. I would also smile like a simpleton if students attempted to refer to the use of binary opposites evident within this narrative. Click on link to access text:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ABR4UpDSU
2. HOW IS THE 4OD SERVICE REPRESENTED IN THIS CHANNEL FOUR ADVERTISEMENT? Click on link to access media text:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhve5MnSuYI
3. IN THIS POSTER ADVERTISING AN ART GALLERY IN MEXICO CITY, WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE AIM OF THE INSTITUTION AND THE POTENTIAL TARGET AUDIENCE. The poster is the image that introduces this blog entry.

HOMEWORK: Students should complete the three questions. The aim with this written task is for all students to improve their grades by at least one full grade. I need to feel secure that all students are aware of how to improve their critical written work.

THIS IS A BIG HOMEWORK.

Any problems, drop me an e-mail, communicate via blog, or visit me in the dept.

Good luck.

FACEBOOK BIGOT, RIOT BOYS AND NAIVE TEACHERS: Media Regulation and Facebook.

A religious bigot who posted sectarian comments on a Facebook page has been jailed for 8 months. This was defined as a HATE CRIME and is evidence that the law is attempting to regulate how people use the internet. Click on link to access BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-15333744

Furthermore, The Hull Daily Mail published an article about teachers verbally abusing their students via Facebook. The internet is not a private space. Perhaps the most effective regulation is self-regulation:

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/MP-Turner-disgusted-appalled-Facebook-comments/story-13564815-detail/story.html

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Teachers-suspended-second-Facebook-outrage/story-13564902-detail/story.html

Facebook and the riots. More custodial sentences:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15347868

Non-Mainstream media:THE LOVE POLICE AND CVEITCH.

The Love Police and CVEITCH are an example of how digital media has created an alternative to the values of the mainstream media. They often film incidents such as the student demonstrations in London last year and demonstrations by organisations such as the EDL and provide a very different representation to the representations offered by mainstream media. Charlie Veitch recently posted on his blog that THE LOVE POLICE as a project has now ended. However, I imagine CVEITCH will continue to post his provocative material.

Why am I posting this material? This is an example of how the audience can become the producer and challenge the dominant value system of mainstream media. Broadcast quality HD video cameras can now be purchased relatively cheaply, editing software is now cheap and accessible, and platforms such as YOU TUBE offer the potential for global distribution.

Click on links below to access a selection of material that has been posted by CVEITCH:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDh0Cvsw9Jk

http://www.youtube.com/user/cveitch#p/a/u/1/P95MstGurYU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQdYxXyUJkQ

Feel free to navigate this site. Is CVEITCH a lunatic? The voice of reason? Slightly misguided? Or a clown with a video camera? You decide! What are the media issues and debates that we can explore through non-mainstream media such as this site?

YEAR 13 LESSON SIX [14th Oct 11]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the issues relating to the Blackberry service. If the institution essay had been offered at the end of this session, students would have been expected to refer to this situation. The Blackberry brand has been compromised and serves as an example of how digital institutions can be 'threatened' by the pressure of the digital world. Will Blackberry suffer the same lack of credibility that is killing MySpace? Students need to keep their media eye on this media situation. Click on link to access an ITN news report and BBC online articles:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15274437

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15287072

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPsHcf80HH8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_ym0zEct9M

The lesson moved on to discuss issues relating to REGULATION. The class produced a research homework that explored issues relating to MORAL PANICS and REGULATION and this research provided the platform for a brief class feedback.

The students were introduced to the broadcast media produced by Reebok to market their product the 'Reebok Easytone Training Shoe.' The ASA banned this advertisement for its false scientific claims. Clearly there are issues relating to objectification and representation that are more disturbing than the fact that the company is offering false claims and misrepresenting the real value of their product. Click on link below:

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1044244/

There were two other advertisements linked to this marketing campaign. Click on link below to access both advertisements:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX8V5e-mC2Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNAlSnYOko

We shall be discussing these advertisements next week and applying media theory to the content being offered to us throughout this marketing campaign.

The class discussed issues relating to the Audience/Producer debate and were made aware that they will be expected to provide a written response to the following question in the very near future:

'DIGITAL MEDIA HAVE IN MANY WAYS, CHANGED HOW WE CONSUME MEDIA PRODUCTS.' WHO DO YOU THINK BENEFITS MOST- AUDIENCES OR PRODUCERS?

The final section of the lesson involved a class analysis of how media forms are used to shape meaning in the Dexter/Sherlock Holmes broadcast media. Students then produced a twenty minute written response appropriate for the first section of MEST3 Section A.

HOMEWORK: Read the fantastic resource that was created by last week's homework. Furthermore, read all the material that you have that relates to media theory. For example, Dyer, Berger, Mulvey, Chomsky and Marxist Theory, Liberal Pluralism,issues relating to Sensitisation and Desensitisation, The Uses and Gratification Theory etc. Next week we shall be considering REGULATION and MEDIA THEORY and the media issues and debates generated by media regulation. Do we really need protecting?

You lot were fantastic today. I am very impressed with the quality of class discussion and the detail of the written work. KEEP IT UP....although three people need to e-mail me some work!

YEAR 12 LESSON FIVE [11th Oct 11]: Homework.

Students attempted to provide a critical analysis of the opening credits to the American TV series 'DEXTER.' The aim of offering this analysis was to develop the ability of students to use media language when exploring how media forms shape meaning. The recent written work produced by students has lacked appropriate use of media language and this is an area that clearly needs to improve if students are to achieve grades that will make their parents smile. The next written homework will involve producing a critical analysis of this text so students might want to watch this clip a few times and make notes in preparation for the next written response. Click on link below to access the Dexter intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhKRhk49iqQ

The rest of the session involved students editing material that was captured last week. The aim of this section of the lesson was to smash the myth that the technology is difficult to comprehend.IT IS NOT. Some of the editing was genuinely impressive. The difficult feature of creating broadcast media is thinking of original and creative ideas that will help shape an engaging narrative. Film-making is a thoughtful and imaginative process. Decent technology cannot make a dull idea seem interesting. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE IDEAS FOLKS.

HOMEWORK: Watch the Dexter clip. The next written homework will be a response to the question: HOW ARE MEDIA FORMS USED IN THE OPENING CREDITS OF DEXTER TO REPRESENT THE SINISTER NATURE OF THE CENTRAL CHARACTER?

The main feature of this text that students need to be aware of is the extensive connotations attached to Dexter's 'morning routine'. How significant are the point of view shots? Frame composition? Diegetic and non-diegetic sound? Use of close-up and extreme close-up? Significance of the colour red? Non-verbal communication?

Good work today folks.Well done.